Incubator.



PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

H. W. AXFORD.

INGUBATOR.

APPLIoATloN FILBDM'AB. 12, 190e.

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HARRIS W. -AXFORI), OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

INCUBATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented JuneA, 1907.

Application filed March 12, 1906. Serial No. 305,487.

T0 all whom, it may con/cern.-

Be it known that I, HARRIS IV. AXFORD, a

citizen of the United States of America, rel siding at Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Incubators, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in incubators and is fullydescribed and eX- plained in this speci [icati on and shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal sectionthrough my improved incubator, Fig. 2 is a section in the line 2-2 ofFig. l, with the drum drawn out; and Fig. 3 is a detail view showing theconstruction of the device utilized for bringing the drum back to itsoriginal position on the shaft.

Referring to the drawings, A, are the walls of a suitable chamberadapted to be heated by any suitable means. Through the chamber extendsa shaft, B, adapted to be rotated b'y a motor of any desired sort. Theshaft, B,` is preferably a little more than twice the length of thechamber and is journaled at one end in one of the end walls of thechamber, and at the other in a suitable journal, C. The chamber isclosed at the end adjacent to the journal, C, by doors, D, which meetalong a vertical line and arenotched at d, (Fig. 2) to receive theshaft, B. Longitudinally movable upon the shaft, B, is an egg-holdingdrum, E. The drum has a number of egg trays or compartments, el, on itsperiphery which are closed by lids, e2. This drum has at its rear end aV-shaped radial member, e, which is adapted to engage a pin, b, on theshaft, B, to prevent rotation of the shaft within the drum when themember engages the pin. The drum can be locked against longitudinalmovement upon the shaft by means of a pin, b1.

In the incubation of eggs, it is necessary not only to keep the eggswarm during the required period, but it is necessary also to cool theeggs from time to time. It is also desirable to expose the eggs,especially in the early stages of incubation. In this way the eggs whichare useless for incubating purposes can be detected at this time andremoved from the drum. Many of these eggs are still of commercial valueand can be disl l l l posed of to advantage, instead of becoming spoiledby permitting them to remain in the incubator. To get the best results,all of the eggs should receive uniform treatment. This is especiallytrue in cooling them. I accomplish this by drawing the entire egg-drumout of the chamber, consequently exposing all of the eggs at once andfor the same length of time. IVith my improved incubator, I merely swingopen the doors, D, withdraw the pin, b1, and slide the drum along theshaft to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, leaving it outside the heating chamber for the requisite time. The lid of one y.of thecompartments may be opened in this interval and the eggs in saidcompartment subjected to inspection. The lid is then closed and the drumrevolved bringing an adjacent compartment to the top. Inspection of theeggs in this compartment and in the remaining ones can be accomplishedas before set forth. l/Vhen returned to position the proper angularrelation between the drum and shaft is brought member. In order to keepthe incubating chamber at the proper temperature while the drum isoutside it, I hang at the end of the chamber a curtain, F, slotted atits lower end to pass over the shaft.

The device herein illustrated is particularly designed for use inpracticing the method of my Patent Number 7 86,256 issued April 4, 1905but it can obviously be used in other ways if desired.

I realize that considerable variation is possible in the details of thisconstruction, without departing from the spirit of my invention; and Ido not intend, therefore, to limit myself to the specific form hereinshown and described.

I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent The combinationwith an incubating chamber, of a shaft passing therethrough and a drumcarried by the shaft and adapted to be shifted along the shaft outsidethe chamber, and means for closing the incubating chamber after theremoval of the drum to retain its heat.

In witness whereof I have signed the above application for LettersPatent at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 5thday of March A. D. 1906.

HARRIS W. AXFORD.

Witnesses:

CHARLES O. SHERvEY, K. M. CoRNwALL.

about by the pin and V-Shaped IOO

